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June 5, 2012

15 Best Cities for College Grads to Find Work—and Live

Best cities are based on job availability, average salary, average rent

Houston is one of the cities on the list, and will grab your attention for its low rents. (AP photo)

More than half of employers say they plan to hire recent college grads this year, according to a survey by CareerBuilder—but where? The job website released on May 23 the “Top 15 Best Cities for Recent College Graduates” list, the fifth iteration of its collaboration with Apartments.com.

The list names the 15 best cities for recently graduated job seekers based on several criteria. First, cities were chosen from the top 100 market areas, as determined by CareerBuilder and its internship and first-time job seekers division, CareerRookie, based on the number of entry level jobs available between January and April. The inventory of entry-level positions was weighted most heavily, as was the unemployment rate reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The list excluded cities where the unemployment rate was above 10%.

The list also considered the average salary at an entry-level position in April. Finally, it factored in the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment, based on analysis by Apartments.com in April.

“When starting out, it can be tempting to focus on only one aspect of a city,” Tammy Kotula, public relations and promotions manager for Apartments.com, said in a press release. “However, it’s important to carefully evaluate a variety of options before choosing where to settle down. The first step should be identifying cities that offer the most professional opportunities while affording you a lifestyle you can enjoy.”

Michael Erwin, director of corporate communications for CareerBuilder, noted that job prospects for recent grads have improved this year. “Job listings on CareerBuilder are up across industries and company sizes,” he said in a press release. “The key is pinpointing those markets that not only have the greatest demand for your skill sets, but match areas of interest.”

Following is CareerBuilder’s and Apartments.com’s list of the 15 Best Cities for college graduates looking for a place to live and work, including the unemployment rate for the metropolitan statistical area, the average rent and salary, and the top industries in the area based on data from the Census Bureau’s Economic Census.